Official Game Day Thread - Toronto at Winnipeg October 11, 2024

[ModAdmin]

Week 19 and an opportunity to lock up 1st place in the west.  The good news...a game with this much meaning is being played in Winnipeg in front of another sold out crowd.

A Winnipeg welcome awaits Chad Kelly and his Argonaut cohorts so it's guaranteed to be not only a big night but a fun night to be at this important game.

Today's Injury Report states Gabe Wallace and Bailey Feltmate will not play in Friday night's game and several Blue Bomber players are Questionable, including Lucky Whitehead, Nic Demski, Michael Ayers, Michael Griffin, Brandon Alexander and Onaria Wilson.  Demski and Wilson participated fully in the October 9th practice but the others did not.

The Argos will be missing Woody Baron, Brandon Calver, Adam Guillemette and Fraser Sopik.  Tunde Adeleke is listed as questionable.

The full Bomber injury report follows...



Ed Tait's 48-Hour Primer can be read here.

Weather report calls for a partly cloudy evening on game day with an evening temperature of 11 degrees and winds at 7 k/m per hour with gusts to 21 k/m per hour.

Let's lock up first place and a home date in the Western Final.  Go Bombers!

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Total guess but we'll probably be out Alexander, Griffin and Ayers. Wilson, Demski and Whitehead I'm sure are good.

[gobombersgo]

Ed Tait  @EdTaitWFC
The @Wpg_BlueBombers roster for tomorrow features two changes: off are safety Brandon Alexander and LB Michael Ayers, on are DB Marquise Bridges and LB Bryce Notree. Jake Kelly starts at safety for Alexander; Brian Cole at LB for Ayers. Both Alexander and Ayers were moved to the one-game injured list.

[gobombersgo]

[gobombersgo]

DB Jake Kelly to make first career CFL start for Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs. Argonauts
By John Hodge -October 10, 2024

Jake Kelly will make his first career CFL start when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers host the Toronto Argonauts on Friday night.

The Canadian defensive back was a second-round pick in the 2023 CFL Draft out of Bishop's University. He has since dressed for 18 regular season games with the Blue Bombers, recording four defensive tackles, 10 special teams tackles, and one forced fumble. The 25-year-old will start at safety in place of the injured Brandon Alexander.

The five-foot-eleven, 179-pound native of Markham, Ont. was one of the top testers at the CFL Combine last year, running a 4.56-second forty-yard dash and leaping 40.5 inches in the vertical jump. At the U Sports level, he recorded 60 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 16 pass knockdowns, three interceptions, two touchdowns, one forced fumble, and 29 punt returns for 250 yards over 25 games.

Brandon Alexander, Winnipeg's longtime starting safety, has been moved to the one-game injured list with a hand injury. It's unclear whether the injury is short-term or long-term as players can't be added to the six-game injured list this late in the regular season.

Rookie linebacker Michael Ayers has also been moved to the one-game injured list with a hip injury with Brian Cole taking over the starting job at weak-side lineback. Bryce Notree, the former member of the Montreal Alouettes who was signed this past week, will dress in a depth role.

Winnipeg has won eight straight games and can clinch first place in the West Division with a victory over the Argonauts. The two teams haven't met since late July when a Tarvarus McFadden pick-six fueled a 16-14 Toronto win at BMO Field.

This week will mark Chad Kelly's first career start against Winnipeg as he was suspended during their first meeting. He has gone 3-3 as a starter this season, throwing for 1,917 yards, six touchdowns, and eight interceptions.

The Blue Bombers (10-6) will host the Toronto Argonauts (8-7) at Princess Auto Stadium on Friday, Oct. 10 with kickoff slated for 8:30 p.m. EDT.

https://3downnation.com/2024/10/10/db-jake-kelly-to-make-first-career-cfl-start-for-winnipeg-blue-bombers-vs-argonauts/

[Blue In BC]

Teams are not allowed to move players to the 6 game IR at this point. So we don't exactly know how serious the injuries to Alexander and Ayers might be. Anyone have more info?

I'm concerned that Whitehead, Demski, Wilson and Wheatfall are not 100% but we choose to not add another receiver for depth.

Kelly starting at safety is a bit of a surprise over Hallett? I guess the option still exists if necessary but with all the import DB's on our PR and none of them can play at safety?


We're back to starting 10 Canadians if I have the count correct. If they continue to win, then maybe we should be starting more. lol

[Pete]

Really glad to see Griffin in the lineup, hes been very good at playing both lb positions. I wouldn't be surprised to see him get some safety reps too.
Hes a baller

[Blue In BC]

Really glad to see Griffin in the lineup, hes been very good at playing both lb positions. I wouldn't be surprised to see him get some safety reps too.
Hes a baller

Yes but he's another player that didn't take any reps in practice this week. He could be somewhat limited due to health?

Argos lose Sopik at LB and he's been a factor for them in 2024.

[Pete]

pretty much 50% od the team is playing with some sort of issue, but with the way Younger rotates in pretty much everyone on d, they should still be effective

[Pigskin]

Little surprised that Woli82 isn't back yet. Has been running hard in practice, looks fit and ready to go. But, I guess with Clercius playing well no need to rush him back.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Teams are not allowed to move players to the 6 game IR at this point. So we don't exactly know how serious the injuries to Alexander and Ayers might be. Anyone have more info?

I'm concerned that Whitehead, Demski, Wilson and Wheatfall are not 100% but we choose to not add another receiver for depth.

Kelly starting at safety is a bit of a surprise over Hallett? I guess the option still exists if necessary but with all the import DB's on our PR and none of them can play at safety?


We're back to starting 10 Canadians if I have the count correct. If they continue to win, then maybe we should be starting more. lol

Not ideal giving Jake Kelly his first start ever against a hawk like Chad Kelly, but it would have been the same last week against BLM, we'll see how he does.  Must be disheartening for the Hallett bros. to be bypassed but I guess they've been here long enough to accept they're ST lifers.

[Pete]

Hallet has been successfully used at the extra db position on the 3 down set. With Griffin nicked up nick will get reps there as well as safety. I like Kelly at safety hes got good speed and if he shows well could give us a cdn safety next year '(who knows if ford will be here if some team offers him a stupid amt especially to get him and his brother) Which will continue to give us flexibility ration wise.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Little surprised that Woli82 isn't back yet. Has been running hard in practice, looks fit and ready to go. But, I guess with Clercius playing well no need to rush him back.

That's odd. Are you sure? He was placed on the 6-game after the Banjo Bowl and he's only been out three games. My understanding is you cannot practice until four games missed (2 left to return).

[Jesse]

pretty much 50% od the team is playing with some sort of issue, but with the way Younger rotates in pretty much everyone on d, they should still be effective

This is kind of what I came here to say.

I wouldn't get too caught up in who is "starting". Our depth chart is mostly to check a box that they need to do. It doesn't mean much.

[Blue In BC]

Little surprised that Woli82 isn't back yet. Has been running hard in practice, looks fit and ready to go. But, I guess with Clercius playing well no need to rush him back.

It would resolve the depth at receiver without impacting the ratio ( Weitz would come off ). Even if Clercius gets the majority of reps while Woli is eased back in, that's a good thing.